Improvement in trace-buckles



G'H.DRURY. Trace-Buckle.

Ne. 212,203. Patented Feb. 11, 1879.

Witnesses". MMM ehwvwmvwrch UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

GEORGE H. DRURY, OF LINCOLN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO S. H.DAVISON, OF ANKENY, IOIVA.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRACE-BUCKLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 2l `2,203, datedFebruary 11, 1879 application filed May 14, 187s.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE H. DRURY, of Lincoln, in the county of Polkand State of Iowa, have invented an Improved Tracef Buckle, of which thefollowing is a specication: i

The object of my invention is to Vprovide a trace-buckle that is adaptedto receive and adjustably connect a haine-tug, a back-strap, and a traceywithout sewing, and without bending or doubling either one of theiiexible parts of aharness that are designed to be attached directly tothe `trace-buckle.

It consists in a rigid frame having an opening at each end, and a bendin its parallel side bars, that brings the openings into two dilferentplanes; in a combined loop and plate, having a rigid tongue projectingvertically from a central position to hold the adjustable back-strap;and in a hinged tongue, being iiexibly connected to the frame by meansof a swinging carrier, all as hereinafter fully set forth.

Figure 1 of my drawings is a perspective view of my buckle. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of the same, showing a section of a hametug, of atrace, and a back-strap attached.

Together these gurcs illustrate the construction and operation of mycomplete invention.

a a are the two parallel side bars of my buckle. b b are the endsconnecting the bars a. Each end piece, b, is slotted, so as to presentan open mouth, through which to pass the end of a haine-tug and the endof a trace. A bend, c, in each of the side bars, a, causes the slots inthe ends b to be in different planes, as required, to allow the rear endof a hametug and the front end of a trace to pass each other, andoverlap each other within thebuckle. d is a plate, rigidly connected atits four corners with the under edges of the side bars, a, in such amanner that a strap can be passed through the buckle transversely, andbetween the plate d and its supporting-bars a, in the same manner as astrap is passed through a harness-loop. f is a tongue rigidly fixed tothe center of the plate d. It projects from the plate at right angles,andis designed to enter the holes in the center of the adjustablebackstrap passed transversely through the buckle. gis a bar rigidlyfixed to the top edge of the side bars, a., immediately over the frontpor-v tion ofthe plate d. In combination with the plate d, it formsaloop, through which the front end of the trace is passed after theback-strap has been secured upon the ton gue f. It holds the trace downupon the back-strap, and thus prevents the back-strap from rising andescaping from the tongue f, upon which it is hooked. 7L 7L areperforated lugs or ears upon the top edges of the side bars, a, thatform bearings for a swinging tongue-carrier, m, to which a tongue, a, ishinged. The carrier m is made of flexible and malleable metal, so thatit can be readily sprung into its bearings h and secured. It is bowedorv bent into V form, so that when it is folded or turned forward anddown it will rest flat upon the trace, and its tongue a will passthrough a perforation in the center of the trace, and rest in ahorizontal position against the inside edges of the open end, b. `Theside bars a, slotted ends b, plate d, having tongue f, loop g, andbea-rings h, may all,l be formed integral with each other in onecomplete casting, and the carrier m, having the hinged tongue n,attached in anysuitable way.

In the practical operation ot' 1ny'buckle,the back-strap is first fixedupon the rigid tongue f. The haine-tug is next passed through theopening in the front end, and secured by means of set-screws carried inthe end b, or in any suitable way. The hame-tug may have a series ofperforations in its center, bymeans of which it can be fixed upon therigid tongue j', and adjusted at pleasure to lengthen and shorten thetug, whenever desired. After the back-strap and hame-tu g are in place,the front en d ot' the trace is passed forward through the opening intherear end, I), and under the loop g, to rest straight and at upon the topof the rear end of the llame-tug as far it overlaps the haine-tug. -Byturning the swinging tonguecarrier m, and inserting the tongue n in oneof the perforations ot' the trace, the trace is readily fastened in thebuckle in such a manner that it can be adjusted or removed wheneverdesired.

I claim as my inventionl. In a trace-buckle, the swinging carrier my,

carrying the hinged tongue n, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. The combination, in a traee-buekle, of the frame having slotted endopenings, b b, and the swinging carrier m, having the hinged tongue u,all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The plate d, having the rigid tongue f, in Combination with the framehaving slotted end openings7 and provided with the loop g upon its top7all substantially as shown and described.

4. The buckle-frame provided with side,y

bars, bent at c, having side openings or slots for the back-straps, andend openings for the hametug and trace, in combination with the plate dand swinging carrier m, provided with the hinged tongue n, allsubstantially as shown and described.

GEORGE H. DRURY.

Witnesses:

ERASTUS W. SMITH, FRANK W. HEERs.

